City news in 250 words

GREATER MANCHESTER COUNCIL WORKERS FACE A PAY FREEZE due to the recession. Leaders of local authority unions tabled a claim for an increase of 2.5 percent, but were told pay was to be frozen this year. The decision came after “extensive consultation” with councils in recognition of the financial situation they faced, what Jan Parkinson, managing director of the local government employers, called, “a perfect storm of falling revenues and increasing demand for service”. Union leaders called the decision a “slap in the face”.p>

NORTH-WEST VENTURE CAPITAL FUND GETS AN ADDITIONAL £40M to help small businesses. The Northwest Development Agency invited fund managers to bid to run the £184m Venture Capital and Loan Fund, which is being bankrolled by the European Regional Development Fund with 204m euros. The extra money comes after an increase in this year’s currency exchange rates compared to last year

MANCHESTER UNITED PLAYERS DO NOT POKE OR TWEET the club has said. In a message on its website, it said fans should treat any profiles in the names of its players with "extreme scepticism" due to the high number of pretenders. Although Giggs and Rooney did have Twitter accounts, they no longer exist, with a club spokesperson insisting, “It wouldn't have been us who stopped them”.

SANKEYS’ PLANS ARE PUT ON HOLD after a public backlash. The plans to build a new £5m, 16,000 capacity standing-only music venue in a disused Trafford warehouse, were temporarily withdrawn after local councillors and residents insisted on a public consultation.